The Blue Sky Consulting Groupis a public policy and economics consulting firm specializing in strategic and analytical services for public, not-for-profit, and private sector clients. Our team of subject matter experts and staff come from the highest levels of government, academia and the private sector to assist clients with strategic or analytical challenges across a broad range of practice areas. From providing strategic advice to elected officials to analyzing complex programmatic, fiscal or economic issues, the Blue Sky Consulting Group brings an unrivaled level of experience, analytical rigor, and strategic problem-solving ability to bear on the most challenging issues our clients confront.

Featured Publications

This peer-reviewed paper in the September 2018 issue of Health Affairs analyzes California dental plans’ medical loss ratios [MLR] reported in California for 2014 and 2015. California passed a law in 2014 requiring dental plans to report MLRs but stopped short of setting minimum thresholds. Len Finocchio and Katrina Connolly found that while millions of Californians were in large-group plans that achieved high MLRs, millions more were in other plans with relatively low MLRs. A legislatively mandated MLR would provide a standardized financial tool and potentially ensure value for dental products. Given the multiplicity of dental products and the varying numbers of covered lives in those products, setting MLR thresholds poses a challenge for stakeholders. Click here to go the Health Affairs abstract.

This paper, commissioned by the Blue Shield of California Foundation, describes some of the current challenges facing California’s system of mental health services, explores strategies for improving mental health integration, and proposes scenarios for changing aspects of law, policy and organizational practices that could promote improved integration. Click here to read the full report.

Accountable Communities for Health (ACHs) are place-based initiatives in which community, clinical, and policy strategies are coordinated with the aim of improving health outcomes and controlling health care costs. The multi-sector nature of ACHs combines strategies addressing specific chronic diseases or other health conditions in a mutually reinforcing way. The framework provides a methodology or “road map” for communities, funders, or government agencies interested in conducting an evaluation of local ACH initiatives or understanding and interpreting the results of such an evaluation. Click here to read the full report.

Featured Projects

BSCG assisted the State Treasurer’s Office with an analysis of affordability and financing issues related to the Bay Delta Conservation Plan Conveyance Facility (aka the Delta tunnels). The BDCP is an ambitious and controversial habitat conservation plan proposed by the governor involving the construction of two large, underground tunnels intended to transport water from the Sacramento River around the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Our report was intended to provide a context for better public understanding of the potential costs of the project and an assessment of whether those costs are affordable for the water contractors and their customers who are expected to pay for the project. In addition the report explores a number of critical issues related to financing the cost of construction through revenue bonds and risks associated with that financing.

Addressing poverty is one of the most important and most challenging issues counties confront. This report identifies several promising, research based strategies that can be employed at the county level to reduce poverty. This report further examines the impact of a county-level living wage policy, including information about the number and types of workers affected and the likely cost to the county to implement such a policy.

The managers of the state’s 529 college savings program, known as Scholarshare, sought assistance in estimating the fiscal and economic effects of adopting a tax credit to encourage additional saving for college. Our analysis showed how many additional Californians would open accounts in response to the tax credit and how much more existing participants would save. We also estimated the economic effects of such a program, and determined the cost to the state’s general fund.

The State Treasurer's Office is relying on the regulations and evaluation criteria we helped develop to award sales tax exclusions to qualified manufacturers of solar panels, fuel cells, electric cars, and other alternative energy and advanced transportation technologies.

Next 10's Budget Challenge engages Californians in the state's crisis-plagued budgeting process. The nonpartisan internet tool allows users to call the shots on how much to spend on schools, prisons and other state programs - and how to pay for them. We have provided up-to-date policy options and budget figures for the project since 2007.